Oh no- fall begins in Georgia

In the last couple of days it has become obvious that autumn is getting a head start this year in Georgia.  In the last couple of days I've had to locate my jacket, turn off the air conditioner because the house was to cold with it on, and this morning I was able to open the windows so I could check out the heater and make sure it worked.  Every year when it starts to get cool at night we turn on the heat to make sure it works and to make sure any dust accumulated in the system during the summer is gone.  I hate that first time start up smell.  I would also be very unhappy if we needed it one night and it didn't work.  We've lived in this house for over 20 years now with the same heat pump.  The last time we had to have the air-conditioner part of it fixed, we were told they don't even make parts for our heat pump anymore.  Happy to say it works wonderfully.  I really don't want to have to replace it right now.

I am enjoying the cooler weather especially in the morning when I walk the dog and work in the garden.  I am really getting excited about planting my fall perennials, clearing out and changing around my gardens.  I am not looking forward to the leaves falling and this has already started.

This picture was taken in my front yard this morning.  Amazingly the photo above is the same photo as the photo at the top of this post.  I am still learning the nuances of Photoscape and having lots of fun.  I have been organizing my photos and in doing so  I have discovered that I do not feel that a photo is finished until I either put a frame around it or do some kind of art editing to it.  Discovery # 1 in my journey to decide what direction to take my art.

Please remember the giveaway of the book Creative Awakenings. I am working on my journal and will shortly have some photos of my progress.  Click here for details.

Enjoy

☺☺☺Johnina☺☺☺

Ding, Dong the glitch is gone...

 the wicked glitch is gone.  I've got my computer back and it is working so much better.  Hooray! for the Geek Squad.  Just in case you don't recognize the parody in the title; your really need to get hold of the Wizard of Oz DVD.  One of the all time greatest classic movies ever.
Anyway my computer's working better.  My new programs are installed and I have two new editing programs to play with.  I'm so excited.
Emily is going great.  The doctor is very pleased with her recovery.  She spent last week learning how to teach freshman English.  She said that instead of sprinkling them with knowledge; they used a fire hose.  This week she starts working on her Masters degree and teaching freshman English class on her own.  Well, sort of on her own; BYU provides plenty of support and their attitude is you are here to get your Master's degree and teaching comes second.  She has also found a study buddy who is doing the same thing and they have agreed to help each other.  Good deal for her.

I have recovered from the stress of the last couple of weeks.  Due to the fact that I have Addison's disease; it takes me a long time to recoup.  Having Addison's means my body does not make the hormones necessary to cope with stress be it good or bad.  It has caused my electrolytes to go kind of haywire, my blood pressure to drop dramatically and just those two things can make anybody so weak that walking more than a few steps makes them feel like they are going to fall on their  face.  There is so much more to what the stress hormones do that sometimes I do get discouraged.  Even with all my varied health problems this is the worst and makes the stress of my other problems so very much more complicated.  This is an orphan disease which means there are not enough people with it to warrant research.  It's the pits.
However I am learning to deal with it better and better.  Not near as many hospital visits as I am learning to deal with it at home and I have a PA who is helping me through the process of learning to deal.  How grateful I am for modern medicine. 
Between Emily and I we have truly learned the miracle of modern medicine and a miracle it has been in our lives lately.  Add to that the prayers and support from those around us and our lives have been so very richly blessed.
We are both alive and able to continue to see the beauty in this world in which we live.

 Enjoy

♥♥♥Johnina♥♥♥

PS remember to come back tomorrow for the drawing of my mail art giveaway- there is still time to enter- see the post Giveaway #1 Mail art